Paula Sullivan retires after 43 years at Stonehill College

The former women's basketball coach and director of athletics had a succesful run at the school since 1971.

Jim Fenton The Enterprise @JFenton_ent

EASTON – The connection was made in 1971, just a few months after she had graduated from Bridgewater State College.

Paula Sullivan was teaching in the Milton school system and she was interested in becoming a basketball coach as well.

Stonehill College was looking to start a women’s basketball program and was searching for a head coach.

Using some inside information, Sullivan found out about the opportunity and pursued the basketball job.

“My sister, Mary Ellen, was a student at Stonehill at the time,’’ recalled Sullivan. “She said, ‘I know you love basketball and they’re looking for a women’s coach here. Why don’t you call?’

“I don’t even remember who I called and they said, ‘Oh, you want the job? Here it is.’ ’’

With that, Paula Sullivan was connected with Stonehill College, and it the beginning of an association that would last a very long time.

Now, after being employed at Stonehill for 43 years, first as a coach and then an administrator, Sullivan is retiring this week, walking away from the campus she has been such an important part of since the 1971-72 women’s basketball season.

“My sister, whenever she can, acknowledges that she was responsible for my career,’’ says Sullivan with a laugh.

And what a career it was for Sullivan, who spent 25 seasons coaching the Stonehill women’s basketball team, then 12 years as the director of athletics and the past six years as the vice president for intercollegiate athletics and recreation sports.

Her basketball teams went 479-159 with 10 trips to the NCAA Division 2 tournament, making it to the national semifinal round in 1995.

The Stonehill athletics department reached new heights under Sullivan’s watch as the AD with new facilities and improved programs before she moved into a new role in 2008.

“To have that tenure and that loyalty at an institution, it’s unique,’’ said Brendan Sullivan, Stonehill’s director of athletics. “It’s been pretty tremendous. Paula was the architect of the success here.

“I hope in my career, if I can look and say that I can even be remotely compared to Paula Sullivan, I would consider it an outstanding success. Forty-three years of doing anything is a long time, but it goes back to the passion she has for it.

“Without that, people would burn out and she has not.’’

The women’s basketball program was built from the ground up by Paula Sullivan, who ranks 14th all-time in Division 2 with a .751 winning percentage.

The team went from humbling beginnings to the national stage on Sullivan’s watch, once coming within just two wins of a NCAA title.

“When I started coaching, the NCAA hadn’t absorbed women’s athletics and we played anyone because there were no divisions,’’ said Sullivan. “We played Boston College, WPI, all divisions. It was an interesting time.

“The first couple of years, we played up in Alumni Hall. The sideline was almost the wall. There was a little balcony on one end, which I don’t know how sturdy that was, but basically the few fans we had circled the sideline.’’

The Title IX law, which provided better opportunities for women’s sports, started changing things in the 1980s.

Sullivan found it difficult to leave coaching in April 1996, departing the bench in favor of assistant Kelly Hart to run the athletics department following the death of Ray Pepin.

“The first couple of years were very challenging because I loved coaching,’’ said Sullivan. “But I really looked forward to the challenge of leading an athletic department as well.

“That might be the one thing I’m most proud of that we were able to improve the experience for all of us and the student-athletes. It took a while and with the help of many who played their part, but I think we got it done.’’

Sullivan pointed to the former Stonehill president Rev. Mark T. Creegan and current president Rev. John Denning for helping the athletics department grow in the past decade and a half.

Stonehill now has a superb facility in W.B. Mason Stadium and is among the top Northeast-10 Conference programs on an annual basis.

Paula Sullivan helped put Stonehill athletics on the map, first with her coaching and then as an administrator, and it was a ride she will never forget.

“I was extremely fortunate to spend my career in one spot,’’ said Sullivan. “It’s unheard of in this day and age. But this is a very special place. It’s a community. It’s a family.

“I’ve been blessed in athletics with the folks I’ve worked with. I would do anything for them and they would do anything for me. They truly care about our kids. It’s not all about their egos as coaches. They truly care that our kids have a great experience in the classroom, that they compete and that they are good people. I

“I had some opportunities to leave through the years and I did some soul searching a couple of major times. It came down to, I like my life, I loved this school and I was happy here.

“I love the Division 2 model and you can’t beat the people here. They care about you as a person. You’re just not a figure head who can move in an move out. It’s so different. People always think the grass is greener, but it wasn’t.

“The games were fun and we had some memorable times, like the opening of our stadium, A lot of fine and wonderful things happened, but I’ll miss the people the most.’’

Jim Fenton may be reached at jfenton@enterprisenews.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JFenton_ent.